There were 1,381 households, of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.99.[9]

In the borough, 18.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.[9]

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $59,167 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,354) and the median family income was $72,222 (+/- $9,501). Males had a median income of $64,569 (+/- $6,401) versus $46,094 (+/- $3,857) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,135 (+/- $3,825). About 7.8% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.[29]

There were 1,008 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.10.[27][28]

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.[27][28]

The median income for a household in the borough was $55,000, and the median income for a family was $65,833. Males had a median income of $42,179 versus $36,458 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,472. About 2.5% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.[27][28]

Netcong is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[7] The Borough form of government used by Netcong, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[30][31]

As of 2015[update], the Mayor of Netcong is Republican Joseph A. Nametko, whose term of office ends December 31, 2015. Members of the Borough Council (with party affiliation, term-end year and committee chairmanship listed in parentheses, where available) are Council President John "Jack" Sylvester, Jr. (R, 2017; Public Safety), Patricia Butler (R, 2015; Recreation), Robert Hathaway (D, 2016; Economic Development), Edward Koster (R, 2015), Cecilia G. Laureys (R, 2016; Public Services), Elmer M. Still (R, 2017; Finance).[32][33][34][35][36]

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,754 registered voters in Netcong, of which 385 (21.9%) were registered as Democrats, 654 (37.3%) were registered as Republicans and 715 (40.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[62]

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.1% of the vote (649 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.6% (514 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (15 votes), among the 1,185 ballots cast by the borough's 1,870 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.4%.[63][64] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.3% of the vote (751 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.1% (561 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (13 votes), among the 1,334 ballots cast by the borough's 1,822 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2%.[65] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 62.3% of the vote (778 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.5% (456 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (10 votes), among the 1,249 ballots cast by the borough's 1,784 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.0.[66]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.6% of the vote (550 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.4% (175 votes), and other candidates with 2.9% (22 votes), among the 770 ballots cast by the borough's 1,834 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.0%.[67][68] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.0% of the vote (543 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.3% (279 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.9% (82 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (8 votes), among the 921 ballots cast by the borough's 1,787 registered voters, yielding a 51.5% turnout.[69]

Netcong received its name from the Musconetcong River, named by the LenapeNative Americans and meaning "grass creek", "swamp stream" or "rapid stream".[70] Along with the river, the proximity of the old Morris and Sussex Turnpike, which passed through the region shortly after 1801, and the coming of the Morris Canal, in 1831, made the site a favorable one for development.

After becoming a Borough, the residents had to elect the first Governing Body. The first Mayor was Abraham J. Drake, elected November 14, 1894. A census of Netcong taken July 1895 showed a population of 877 people.[23]

Netcong derived much of its business from the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, which had its last stop in Morris County in the heart of the Borough. The DL&W's Sussex Branch to Branchville also stopped at Netcong Station, with the Sussex Branch coming into the opposite side of the station from where New Jersey Transit's line is today. The big railroad roundhouse in Port Morris also supplied many jobs for the town residents.[71]

Netcong is home to the Netcong School District, which serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Netcong Elementary School. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 281 students and 26.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.68:1.[72]

As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 10.36 miles (16.67 km) of roadways, of which 7.90 miles (12.71 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.67 miles (1.08 km) by Morris County and 1.79 miles (2.88 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[77]

Several major highways pass through Netcong, leading to the borough's motto of "All Roads Lead to Netcong".[1] Major roadways in Netcong include Interstate 80 (the Bergen-Passaic Expressway),[78]U.S. Route 46 and Route 183, the latter two highways meeting at the Netcong Circle.[79] The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) uses Netcong as a control city on directional signage on its highways throughout northern New Jersey, and as far away as the George Washington Bridge, even though less than one-tenth of a mile of Interstate 80 is in the borough (from mile markers 26.33 to 26.42).[78][80] Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 206 intersect with U.S. Route 46 in the southwest corner of the borough at Exit 26.

In 2007, the New Jersey Department of Transportation proposed the elimination of the Netcong Traffic Circle, located at the intersections of U.S. Route 46 and Route 183 just north of the interchange with Interstate 80, and its replacement with a signalized intersection. The circle itself dated back to construction in 1938 and was unable to handle the 17,000 vehicles a year that used the large roadway daily. The circle was the frequent site of vehicular accidents, including a total of 81 in 2007 and 2008.[81] The project had issues dealing with the vertical clearance of the overpass for U.S. Route 46 westbound. The removal of the circle would eliminate this bridge, and the land would go to use as the new signalized intersection, with pedestrian and bicycle fittings. The entire project cost about $13.3 million of state and local funds to construct.[82] A temporary interchange was implemented in January 2013, with the permanent intersection configuration completed that August.[83]

In view of Netcong's rich railroad history, the town has been named as a site for the New Jersey State Railroad and Transportation Museum (jointly with Phillipsburg). Given that the site envisioned for this museum in Phillipsburg has been sold for development as a townhouse complex and college campus annex, it is unclear what role Phillipsburg will play in this museum. Funding will need to be secured in order to build and operate this museum.[90]

^Maldonado, Stacy. "Lenape Valley budget presented to public", The Township Journal, April 4, 2012. Accessed October 24, 2013. "The Lenape Valley Board of Education presented their budget for the 2012-13 school year at their March 28 meeting, which was open to the public.... The proposed budget means that for every $100 of assessed home value in Byram, school taxes will rise by $0.02, and $0.01 in Netcong, but decrease by $0.02 in Stanhope."

^Daigle, Michael. "You Can't Miss the Signs", Daily Record (Morristown), April 24, 2001. Accessed October 24, 2013. "State Department of Transportation spokesman John Dourgarian said history and the crossroads of several major highways keeps Netcong's name on highway signs even though it has been eclipsed in size and population by neighboring Mount Olive and Roxbury."

^Drobness, Tanya. "Netcong Circle in Morris County near end of road", The Star-Ledger, April 5, 2009. Accessed October 24, 2013. "There was a time when a few cars at a time would easily maneuver around the Netcong Circle, built about 70 years ago. But these days, about 17,000 vehicles crisscross in and around the complex circle daily, and its archaic design has for years been unable to handle the increasing volume of traffic, according to New Jersey Department of Transportation officials.... In 2007, there were 45 accidents at the circle, accounting for 30 percent of all accidents in the borough that year, followed by 36 accidents in 2008, according to Netcong Police Department data."

^Staff. "Netcong Circle construction project advances with opening of new intersection", Daily Record (Morristown), August 5, 2013. Accessed October 24, 2013. "The newly reconfigured intersection of Routes 46 and 183 opened this weekend as construction to the Netcong Circle continues to advance, according to state Department of Transportation officials.A temporary traffic pattern, with temporary traffic signals and striping plans, had been in place at the intersection since January, when the out-dated traffic circle had been removed, according to a news release."

^Borough of Netcong, Morris County Tourism. Accessed October 24, 2013. "With Netcong's rich railroad history, the town has been named as a site for the NJ State Railroad and Transportation Museum."

^"RNC Chairman Priebus touts his Jersey cred", Asbury Park Press Capitol Quickies, August 30, 2012. Accessed November 8, 2012. "“I have something in common I think a little bit with you all, I was born in New Jersey,” Reince Priebus told New Jersey Republicans at their delegation breakfast. “I was born in Dover, and some of my favorite childhood memories … we moved when I was seven to Wisconsin, but I still remember very fondly, and I think about it, was growing up in Netcong. That’s where I grew up.”"